Masks Now Optional For Students At Hoover Schools

HOOVER, AL — With the number of COVID-19 cases among students dropping in Hoover City Schools, the system will move to a mask-optional policy on its campuses beginning Thursday.

The most recent COVID-19 numbers, released by the school system Wednesday, show just 32 students with positive COVID-19 diagnoses this week, which accounts for less than 0.25 percent of the student population. This week's total number of positive cases is down from 72 cases reported the previous week.

Superintendent Dee Fowler said Sept. 20 that the school system would need two weeks with COVID-19 cases in less than 1 percent of the student body to shift to a mask-optional policy.

"We will use our weekly district student positive case percentage that is released every Wednesday, and we will need to see a percentage below or above 1.00 percent for two consecutive weeks before we will change our requirements between face coverings mandated (over 1.00 percent) or face coverings optional (at or below 1.00 percent)," Fowler said.

Facial coverings will remain mandatory for passengers and drivers on school buses. The Alabama Department of Public Health has interpreted the federal order regarding facial covering requirements on all forms of public transportation to include public school buses. This requirement supersedes the facial covering policy of the schools, Fowler said.

Fowler said the change to optional masks means contact tracing will have to change slightly.

"Currently, with all students wearing a face covering, we are only required to identify people who are within 3 feet of the positive person for more than 15 minutes," Fowler said. "If a person is not wearing a face covering, then will have to expand that circle to 6 feet around the positive person. We will continue to notify parents of close contacts, ask parents to monitor their children for symptoms, and ask them to make their own decision about isolation from school as long as the child is not exhibiting symptoms."

The issue of masks as a means to stop the spread of COVID-19 has divided the Hoover community, as it has across the country. Reports of harassment toward people wearing masks by people against masks, and reports of people in favor of masks harassing people not wearing masks have been commonplace.

"Students choosing to wear a mask will be respected, and students not choosing to wear a mask will be respected," Fowler said in a statement to parents Wednesday.